Squeeze toy



Dec. 24, 1957 J, uz 2,817,187

SQUEEZE TOY Filed Aug. 13, 1956 INVENTOR.

.fofi 22 M A zzzifl 524M MW United States Patent SQUEEZE TOY John M.Auzin, Whitman, Mass.

Application August 13, 1956, Serial No. 603,511

6 Claims. (Cl. 46-118) The present invention relates generally toso-called action toys, and more specifically to a resilient squeeze toy.

A primary object of the instant invention is the provision of a rubberor latex squeeze toy preferably in the form of a four-legged animal,which toy may be longitudinally collapsed, whereupon it willautomatically resume its normal shape and form in a fascinating andattractive manner.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a squeeze toy havinga flexible, convoluted body which after manual collapsing willintermittently but steadily resume its former shape.

Another object is the provision of an animal squeeze toy which may becollapsed, after which it will self-resume its normal shape whilesimultaneously producing an intermittent sound.

A further object of the instant invention is the provision of a squeezetoy having a collapsible, convoluted body portion so constructed as toprevent permanent collapsing in any direction.

Still another object is the provision of an animal squeeze toycomprising a collapsible body having a tail portion extending upwardlytherefrom, said body and tail being so constructed that upon collapsingof the former, the tail will snap downwardly and will remain so directeduntil the body has substantially resumed its normal shape, at which timethe tail will suddenly snap up again, thereby providing a mysterious andprovocative action.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a toy of thecharacter described which may be economically manufactured in massquantities but which at the same time is durable, attractive andefficient in operation.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered inconnection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings which illustrate the best mode presently contemplated byme for carrying out my invention:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a toy constructed in accordance with myinvention;

Fig. 2 shows the toy of Fig. 1 in collapsed form;

Fig. 3 shows the toy in the process of resuming its normal shape;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section, on an enlarged scale, showing theposition of the tail when the body is collapsed;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section, on an enlarged scale, showing theconvoluted body construction;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section, on an enlarged scale, showing the jointbetween the head and the body portion; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section, on an enlarged scale, showing the tailconstruction.

It has been found desirable to provide a toy of hollow, flexibleconstruction which may be manually squeezed or otherwise collapsed andwhich when released will automatically resume its normal shape in amysterious and fascinating manner. The toy, preferably, although notnecessarily, manufactured by the latex dip method, may take the form ofa four-legged animal having a body portion, a head, depending feet, anda tail. The body portion, at least, is hollow and is provided withcircumferentially extending convolutions whereby it may belongitudinally compressed in accordion-like fashion. Aircontrol meansare provided in association with said body portion for enabling themanual collapsing thereof, said air-control means being so regulatedthat upon release of the device, after manual collapsing thereof, itwill automatically resume its normal shape steadily but in jerky,intermittent movements. This provides a highly fascinating action whichis further accentuated by the fact that the body construction is suchthat immediately upon col-' lapsing of same, the normally upwardlyextending tail is caused to point downwardly, in which position itremains until the toy has substantially completely regained its normalshape, at which time it suddenly snaps upwardly once again into itsusual upwardly extending position. As will be obvious, the toy may takethe form of any desired animal, and it may be gaily colored to provide ahighly attractive and pleasing appearance.

Referring now to the drawings, my invention is illustrated in the formof a hound dog, generally designated at 10, which is preferablyconstructed of rubber or any other material having similar resilientqualities. The dog 10 comprises a hollow body portion 12 having aplurality of circumferentially extending convolutions 14, a. pair offront depending feet 16, rear legs 18, and a rear wall 20 having anupwardly extending tail 22. The tail 22 is preferably integrally formedwith respect to rear wall 20 and has provided therein an air-controlmeans 24 which may be a reed or other noise-making device. The neck end.26 of body portion 12 has an integral, rearwardly extending tubularportion 23 defining an opening 39 into which head portion 32 is adaptedto be inserted and secured, such as by cementing or the like, note Fig.6.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, it will be noted that integral,circumferentially extending strengthening beads 34 are providedintermediate each pair of adjacent convolutions 14. Neck portion 26 isalso provided with an integral, circumferentially extendingstrengthening bead 36, said beads 34 and 36 functioning to impart acertain degree of rigidity to the structure, whereby when it iscollapsed or otherwise dented, it will always spring back to its normalshape. More specifically, any dents or depressions that may result inthe body portion from squeezing or poking same will be restricted orlocalized by said beads to a single convolution, and hence said dents orthe like will always pop out by themselves. Were the beads not present,however, a dent or depression could extend across a plurality ofconvolutions with the result that automatic righting would not alwaystake place. The bead 36 additionally functions to maintain the opening30 substantially round whereby to facilitate insertion of the head 32therein for securement of the latter to the body portion 12.

When the body portion 12 is collapsed, it will assume the appearanceshown in Fig. 2 wherein the convolutions 14 have been compressed intoaccordion-like relationship. Upon release of the toy, air-control means24 will enable air to penetrate slowly into the body portion of the toyuntil the pressure therein equalizes the outside pressure, at which timethe toy will have completely regained its normal shape. Due to thepresence of the strengthening beads 34, the toy, when regaining itsnormal shape, will do so periodically. More specifically, as shown inFig. 3, the forwardmost portion of the toy will begin expanding first,and as each convolution 14 becomes filled with air,

it will snap apart from the previously expanded adjacent convolution,thereby providing a jerky, intermittent action as the toy spreads apart.As previously indicated, this intermittent snapping apart of adjacentconvolutions forms a highly important feature of the instant invention,and it has been found by trial and experimentation that this action ismade possible by the presence of the aforementioned strengthening beads34. If desired, the air-control device 24 may take the form of anoise-maker or reed, whereby when the toy is compressed, a sound will beproduced, and also, as the toy intermittently spreads apart, anintermittent sound will be produced.

In order to facilitate the spreading apart of the toy after manualcollapsing or compression of same, I prefer to provide the front feet 16with relatively flat bottom surfaces 38, whereas, preferably, the rearlegs 18 are provided with rounded bottoms 40. This has been found to beadvantageous since in normal use the toy is placed upon a table or otherbase support 42, and it is desirable to keep friction between said tableand the rear legs 18 at a minimum while at the same time maintaining afirm contact between front legs 16 and said table. Quite obviously, iftoo much friction exists between rear legs 18 and the table 42, the bodyportion may encounter some difficulty in spreading apart by itself,hence the desirability of minimizing bearing surface between said rearlegs and said table.

Another important constructional feature of my invention resides in thefact that rear wall 20 of body portion 12 functions, in effect, as adiaphragm for controlling the direction of tail 22. Thus, it will benoted that when the toy is in its normal position, as per Fig. 1, saidrear wall assumes, in effect, a convex curvature, and the tail 22extends upwardly; but that as soon as the body is collapsed, note Figs.2, 3 and 4, rear wall 20 buckles inwardly to a concave position,whereupon the tail 22 is directed in a downward direction. The tail 22remains in this downwardly directed position until self-inflation of thebody 12 is in its very final stage, at which time rear wall 20 popsoutwardly, whereupon tail 22 suddenly snaps upwardly into its normalposition. This action is extremely amusing and entertaining and greatlyenhances the overall attractiveness of my invention when in operation.

It will be understood that by regulating the air-control means 24, thespeed with which the device self-resumes its normal shape may be varied.Also, it will be obvious that the instant invention readily lends itselfto a plurality of ornamental forms and configurations and that the dogillustrated and described herein is purely illustrative and is not to betaken as limiting in any sense. I find that my invention can be mostsimply manufactured by the latex dip method, but it will be obvious thatnumerous other manufacturing techniques can well be utilized to arriveat the finished product herein described.

While there is shown and described herein certain specific structureembodying the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the artthat various. modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventiveconcept and that the same is not limited to the particular forms hereinshown and described except insofar as indicated by the scope of theappended claims.

I claim:

1. An action toy comprising a hollow, flexible, cylindrical body havinga plurality of circumferentially extending convolutions, an integral,circumferential strengthening bead located intermediate each pair ofadjacent convolutions, and air-control means associated with said bodyfor enabling longitudinal collapsing of same, during which saidconvolutions function as bellows, said air-control means and saidstrengthening beads cooperating to cause said toy to self-resume itsnormal shape, subsequent to collapsing, in an intermittent, jerkymanner.

2. An action toy as set forth in claim 1 further characterized in thatsaid air-control means comprises a reed whereby an intermittent sound isproduced as the body resumes its normal shape.

3. An action toy simulating an animal, said toy comprising a hollow,flexible, cylindrical body having depending front and rear feet and arear wall at one end thereof, a hollow integral tail extending from saidrear wall and in communication with said body portion interior, aplurality of circumferentially extending convolutions in said bodyportion, an integral, circumferential strengthening bead locatedintermediate each pair of adjacent convolutions, and air-control meanslocated in said tail, whereby said body may be longitudinally collapsedin accordion-like fashion, after which said air control means and saidstrengthening beads will cooperate to cause said body to self-resume itsnormal shape in jerky, intermittent movements.

4. An action toy as set forth in claim 3 further characterized in thatsaid front feet have a substantially fiat bottom whereas said rear feethave a rounded bottom.

5. An action toy as set forth in claim 3 further characterized in thatsaid rear wall has a slightly convex curvature and functions as adiaphragm for controlling the direction of said tail, whereby when saidbody portion is in normal, air-filled position, said tail extendsupwardly, whereas when said body portion is collapsed by longitudinalcompression, said rear wall assumes a concave position whereupon saidtail becomes downwardly directed.

6. An action toy as set forth in claim 3 further characterized in thatsaid body portion is provided with a neck portion at the end oppositefrom said rear wall for reception of a head, said neck portion having acircumferentially extending strengthening bead.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS453,034 Blythe May 26, 1891 677,113 Bruce June 25, 1901 2,472,064Damiano June 7, 1949

